lind gren



(No Model.) .3 Sheets- Sheet 1. A. LINDGREN. WHEEL GULTIVATOR.

No. 469,154. Patented Feb. 16, 1892.

(Nomodel.) Y asheets-sheen 2.

A. LINDGREN. n

A WHEEL GULTIVATOR.

No. 469,154. Patented Feb. 16,189.2.y

.(No Model.) Y 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

A. L-INDGRE-N. Y

WHEEL CUI.|'I']VA'1'()R.v No. 469,154. Patented Feb. 16, 1892.

,4o and suitable fastening-bolts and UNITED STATES PArnNfr r Flon.

AUGUST LINDGREN, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MOLINE ILOVVCOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

' WH EEL-CULTIVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,154, dated February16, 1892. Application filed October 14, 1890. Serial No. 368,069. (Nomodel.)

To LU whom zt may concern.-

Be it known that I, AUGUST LINDGREN, of Moline, in the county of RockIsland and State of Illinois, have invented certain Improvements inWheeled Cultivators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of twowheeled straddle-rowcultivators in which the laterally and vertically swinging gangs or Iobeams are jointed at their forward ends to cranked wheeled axles, whichlatter are j ointed to the main frame and the equalizing draft devicesin such manner that the gangs may move forward and backward in relationto each other.

vThe principal objects of the invention are to simplify theconstruction, to secure an easy and efficient action of thedraft-equalizing devices, to apply the draft to each axle at two zopoints, and in such relation to the gang and the wheel as to prevent theparts from being thrown out of line, to provide lifting-springs toassist in the elevation of the gangs, and to provide for such adjustmentof the springs 2 5 that they may resist the tendency of the gangs toswing laterally.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of myimproved machine, the wheel nearest the observer being omitted to 3oexpose other parts to View. Fig. 2 is atop plan view ofthe machine. Fig.3 is a rear elevation showing the main frame and axles. Figs. 4, 5, and6 are views of details. Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are diagrams illustrating theaction 3 5 of the vbeam-controlling springs.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a draft pole or tongue, andB abar or rod fixed rigidly and transverselyv to the under side of thetongue by an intermediate plate O projecting equally in both directions.

D D represent two sleeves or castings mounted to turn on the respectiveends of the cross-bar and fixed rigidly to the upper ends of therespective axlesEand E. These axles are extended downward from kthesleeves, turned outward horizontally at their lower ends, and sustainedat their outer extremities in ground-wheels F F. The axle-carrying 5osleeves D D are held against lateral motion by collars G, seated aroundthe rod C in openings made for the purpose in the sleeves, and securedby set-screws g. By adj usting these collars along the rod C thedistancebetween the axles and the gangs connected therewith may bevaried at will. The forked parts are similar to those now used in thisclass of machines and are not in themselves claimed4 a of my invention.f-

H represents an evener or doubletree ly- 6o ing transversely of thedraft-pole and connected thereto by a vertical center-pin '7a. Thisevener consists of two bars lying one above and the other below thedraft-pole, with their two ends depressed and united at such height fromthe ground as to admit of the draft-animals being connected directlytothe ends. This evener with depressed ends is not in itself claimed asof my invention, the same having been in general use in culti- 7o vatorsfor many years. To each end of the evener I bolt on the under side anangular plate g', containing a horizontal row of holes g2 to contain thedraft connect-ions to the gangs, as hereinafter explained. To each ofthe evener-plates g I connect by a vertical bolt i a forked draft-plateI, and from the ends of this plate I extend rearward and downward inparallel lines two draft-rods J and J, the rear ends of which areattached to or fash- 8o ioned into hook-shaped plates K, (see Fig. 5,)which are engaged around the horizontal portion or journal of the axle.As all the parts on one side of the machine are duplicates of those onthe other, it follows that. whenever the evener H is turned upon itspivot it will act to draw forward the axle on one side of the machine,while allowing the axle at the opposite side to swing rearward.

It is to be particularly noted that the draft 9o connection between eachend of the evener and the corresponding axle is a double connectionconsisting of the two rods, which act to apply the draft or pullingstrain to theA axle at two points vin its length. On the lowerhorizontal portion of each aXleI mount so as to turn loosely a sleeve ordraft-rod L, of the form shown in Figs. 1, 2,and 4. Each of thesesleeves is recessed or cutaway on the rear side at two points in orderto perroo mitthe hooks ofthe draft-rods to engage the axle therethrough.Between these openings and between the two draft-rods the'sleeve isformed with two rearward]y-projecting arms Z and l. by a Verticalpivot-bolt m to a draft-rod m', fixed on the forward end of the beam ordragbar M. This beam is provided at its rear end with a suitablebearing-plate 'm2, connected by a vertical pivot m3 to a cross-head m4,carrying two or more shovel-standards m5 and fm, as usual in this classof machines. The cross-head m4 is connected at one end by a verticalpivot 'm7 to a rod m8, extending forward parallel with the beam M andpivoted at its forward end to the arm. Z of the sleeve on the axle.

A handle m9 is attached to the rear end of each beam or its cross-headfor the purpose .A of controlling its lateral and vertical movements. Bymeans of the handle the entire gang may be raised and lowered, itssleeve l turning around the axle as a center. By moving the handlelaterally the cross-head and shovels may be moved to correspond, thecrosshead being kept parallel with the axle by means of the rod m8, asinl other machines of this class. v

On each side of the machine I mount on the two draft-rods J and J spiralcompressionsprings N and N bearing at their rear ends against nuts orcollars n, on the rod and acting at their forward ends against a platen', sustained by and free to slide forward and backward upon the rod.Through the center of this plate there is extended a rodo, provided atthe forward end with a thumb-nut n3, bearing on the plate. The rod n2has its rear end hooked and engaged in the center of a stirrup n4, whichstraddles the forward end of the beam and which is put at its rearextremities over studs o on a plate O. (Shown inl Fig. G.) This plate(separately shown in Fig. 5)V is centrally pivoted on ythe under side ofthe draft-head of the beam, so that it can turn horizontally to alimited extent. plate is provided with a transverse slot o' (see Fig. 5)and secured in position on the drafthead by a vertical bolt o6, whichserves when tightened up to hold the plate O firmly toV the beam, butwhich when slightly loosened permits the plate O to swing horizontallyaround its vertical-pivot or bearing.' The two springs N N act jointlyto urge the rod n upward and forward,and the rod in turn acts throughthe stirrup with a lifting effect upon the beam. When the parts are downin operative positionthat is, with the shovels upon the ground-thesprings exert'but slight lifting effect; but as the gang is lifted therelation .of the parts is changed, so that the springs act-withincreasing eect, and thus materially assist the operator in lifting theparts out of action. When the plate O is adjusted in a Vcentral positionand fixed to the beam, as shown in Fig. 7, the stirrup and the rod n2,pulling forward thereon, tend to keep the beam in a central positioninthe line of travel and to bring it back to this position after it Thearm Z enters and is connected is thrown to the right or left. Duringthis action with the plate O, fastened to the beam, the stirrup servesto all intents and purposes as an arm or extension of the beamprojecting forward of the beam-pivot, so that itis carried to the rightand left by the motion of the beam, as indicated by dotted lines. Itisthe pulley of the rod N2 on this forward end that gives the beam itstendency to stand in a central position. By turning the plate to eitherside 1n relation to the beam and fastening it in position thereon, asshown in Fig. 8, the forward end of the stirrup is thrown to one sideout of line with the beam, so that the springtends to deflect the beamto one side, thus enabling it to travel in aA straight line when workingon a hillside or when its shovels are set in an oblique position, sothat they tend to throw the beam out of line. W'hen the plate O2 is leftfree upon the beam, so as to turn about its vertical axis, the stirrupbecomes in effect a rearward extension of the pulling-rodN2,n itsforward strain being exerted, through the plate O, upon the beam in rearof the beam-pivot, as shown in Fig. 0, so that while the beam is in acentral position the spring exerts no tendency to throw it out of line.When, however, the beam is thrown to either f side, the pulling strainis applied in rear and i to one side of the beam-pivot, so that thetendency of the spring is to pull the beam around in the direction inwhich it has been moved 2 and to keep it in thisposition.

The distances between the two gangs may be increased or diminished atwill by adjusting the axle-carrying sleeves lengthwise ofthe bar B. Whenl the distancebetween the gan gsis thus changed, the. draft-plates I areadjusted alon g the evener-plates g to correspond.

Itis to be observed that in my machine l there are two draft connectionsfrom each end vof the evener to the adjacent axle, or, in other words,that each axle receives a draft The or propelling force at two points ofits length, and that the beam or drag-bar is attached to the axlebetween the two draft connections. It is found that this application orYdistribution of the propelling force-that is to say,

its application in part between the beam and the wheel-is highlyadvantageous in that the axles are the more strongly sustained againstthe resistance of the beams and of the wheels and prevented fromtwisting out of'l'ine with each other.

It is also to be observed that in my machine the lifting-springs are ofthe compression type.

Having thus described my invention,what I l. In a cultivator, thewheeled axles arranged to swing forward and backward in relation to eachother, the gangs connected to the axles, the evener, the draft-rodsextending two from each end of the evener, the compression-springsmounted on said rods, and lifting connections extending from the saidsprings tothe gangs.

Ioo

I Io

2. In combination with the axles and gangs movable forward and backwardin relation to each other, the evener, two draft-rods from each end ofthe evener to the adjacent gang, a plate sliding on the rods, subject tothe pressure of the spring, and a rod extending rearward from said plateand connected to the gang to exert a lifting action thereon.

3. In a cultivator, the pole or frame, the swinging wheeled axles, andthe evener, in combination with the sleeves on the axle, thecarrying-beams jointed to the sleeves, two draft rods connecting eachaxle with the evener, compression-springs on said rods, a sliding platemounted on each pair of rods and acted on by the springs,a rod extendingfrom each plate rearward, and a stirrup connected toeach rod andembracing' the adjacent beam, substantially as shown.

4. In combination with a vertically and laterally swingingshovel-carrying beam M, a plate fixed thereto and adapted forahorizontalpivotal adjustment thereon, a stirrnp attached to the ends of saidplate, anda springactuated lifting-rod connected to the stirrup.

5. In combination with the vertically-swin ging beam, the compressionsprings, their guide-rods, the plate thereon, the lifting-rod connectedwith the beam and extended through the plate, and the adjusting-nutapplied thereto.

6. In a cultivator, a beam pivoted to swing laterally, in combinationwith a spring-connected rod in front of the pivot and a stirrupconnected to said rod and extending rearward, a plate attached to thestirrup in rear of the beam-pivot, and means for laterally adjusting andfixing said plate in relation to the beam.

7 In a cultivator and in combination with a beam pivoted at its forwardend toswing laterally, a plate pivoted to said beam to swinghorizontally in rear of the beam-pivot, means whereby said plate may befixed upon the beam or set free to swing horizontally, a stirrupconnected to the ends of said plate and extending forward of the beam,andaspring` actuated pulling-rod attached to the forward end of thestirrup.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 16th day of September,1890, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

AUGUST LIND GREN.

. Witnesses:

W. V. RICHARDS, M. G. MARONEY.

